In an ongoing effort to control the human trafficking crisis, the Security Directorate of Zuwara announced on Tuesday the detention of over 40 undocumented migrants.
The Directorate disclosed that it received intelligence regarding a group of human traffickers holding a number of migrants inside a house in the city.
The Directorate was able to verify the location, and secured permission from the Public Prosecution to storm the premises. The Investigation and Arrest Committee of the Directorate, alongside members of local police centers, took over the operation.
It reported that the apprehended migrants were of various Arab and African nationalities. It also seized suspects believed to be involved in transporting, and facilitating the migrants’ journeys.
The Directorate noted that official records of the operation have been filed. The suspects have been detained, and referred to the competent Public Prosecution for further legal action.
On Thursday, the Italian Ministry of Interior announced a marked decrease in the arrival rate of unauthorized migrants to Italy via sea routes in May.
The data showed that Libya overtook Tunisia as the primary transit point for these migrants.
According to the ministry’s data, reported by the Italian NOVA agency, a total of 50,405 unauthorized migrants reached Italy’s shores from the start of the year until 01 June. This figure represents a significant increase of 155.97% compared to 19,692 arrivals during the same period in 2022, averaging 334 arrivals per day.
Interestingly, the data also highlighted that 25,937 illegal migrants managed to reach the Italian coast from Tunisia until 01 June. This equates to an average daily arrival rate of 172 individuals, marking a staggering 580% increase from the 3,818 arrivals noted during the same period last year. Notably, this figure significantly surpasses the total arrivals throughout 2022, which stood at 32,101 migrants from Tunisia.
The Ministry also pointed to a slowdown in migrant arrivals in Italy in May, compared to the previous year, with 7,492 individuals recorded in the last 30 days, down from 8,720 in May 2022. This decline is attributed to adverse weather conditions, and increased efforts to curb smuggling activities across North Africa.
The Ministry’s data also detailed that 1,554 of these individuals embarked from Tunisia, and 5,825 from Libya. In recent weeks, Libya has overtaken Tunisia in terms of the number of migrants crossing its territory towards southern Italy.
